Conventionally, in an examination of intervertebral discs using a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus, a cross-sectional image that is parallel to the intervertebral discs and includes the intervertebral discs is imaged. In such an examination, a method is known in which, for example, the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus automatically detects a plurality of intervertebral discs from an image in which the spine of a subject is imaged and defines imaging areas to the respective intervertebral discs. A method that detects a plurality of vertebral bodies and defines imaging areas to the respective vertebral bodies is also known. In the examinations using these methods, in general, after at least either the intervertebral discs or the vertebral bodies are detected as target regions, an operator selects, out of the detected target regions, as many target regions intended to be imaging subjects as the number corresponding to an imaging protocol. Examples are described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2012-045192 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-237968.